Apparatus for polishing grain



Juiy 15, 1924. v H. T. MCGILL nPARATus FOR POLISHING GRAIN Filed April28 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 will I INVENTOR 17. 711/; Gill.

A TTORNE YS Jul 15, 1924. 1,501,610

H. T. M GILL APPARATUS FOR POLISHING GRAIN Fild April 28 1924 5Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES 564mg Jul 15, 1924.

H. T. M GILL APPARATUS FOR POLISHING GRAIN 5 sheets-sheet 5 Filed April28 1924 H H. I I A IN VEN TOR WITNESSES A TTOR NE YS July 15, 1924.1,501,616

H. T. M GILL APPARATUS FOR POLISHING GRAIN Filed April 28 1924 5Sheets-Sheet 4 'N V EN TOR A TTORNE YS July 15, 1924.

WITNESSES H. T. M GILL APPARATU FOR POLISHING GRAIN Filed April 28 19245 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented July 15, 1924.

UNITED STATES HOMER TIPTON McGILL, OF S'IUTTGART, ARKANSAS.

APPARATUS FOR POLISHING GRAIN.

Application filed April 28, 1924. Serial No. 709,621.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, HOMER TIPTON Mo GILL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Stuttgart, in the county of Arkansas and Stateof Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inApparatus for Polishing Grain, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for In polishing rice and is ofthe type known in the trade as a brush.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this characterwherein the entire mass of rice undergoing the polishing 15 operation issubjected to the cooling action of currents of air to maintain a uniformand proper temperature throughout the entire polishing space whereby toprevent checking or cracking of the grains of rice.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of this character embodying anovel brush assembly, and a novel polishing drum assembly as well as a,novel housing and foraminous casing which greatly facilitate thechanging of the brushes of the polishing drum to vary the character ofthe polishing action as well as to facilitate the replace ment of wornbrushes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention reside in certain novelfeatures of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts whichwill be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out inthe appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsforming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing one embodiment of the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a view thereof in transverse vertical section, on line 2-2of'Figure 3;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the lower portion orbase of the apparatus 43 Figure 3 is a view in horizontal sect-ion,

on line 33 of Figure 2',

Figure 1 is a View in horizontal section, on line 4l of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective View, illustrating the collectorfor the polished grain;

Figure 6 is a similar view, showing the collector for the polish;

Figure 7 is a group view in perspective, showing the brush constructionemployed; and

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary View i in horizontal section,showing certain of the details of the housing.

Referring to the drawingswherein for the I sake of illustration is shownone embodiment of the invention, it will be seen that the apparatuscomprises a housing designated generally at 10 and including a pluralityof vertical channel bars 11 secured at their lower ends to base pieces12. The upper ends of the channel bars 11 are fastened to a dependingannular flange 13 integrally formed with a top plate 14:. An annularbottom plate 15 is also provided and has a marginal flange 16 fastenedto the channels 11. The body portion of the housing 10 ismade up of anumber of imperforate sections 17 which take the form of sections of acylinder.' Each section 17 is designed to fill the space between theadjacent 'flan'ges of adjacent channels 11. Each vertical edge of eachsection 17 has secured thereto a packing strip 18 (see Figure 8), andeach' packing strip 18 has a bent back edge 19:

adapted to extend around the flange of the adjacent panel. tween thebent back edge 19 and the flange of the adjacent channel.

Readily releasable means is provided for holding the sections 17 inassembly with the strips 18 having their edges compressing the packing20. This means includes a number of bolts 21 adjustably fastened by nuts22 to the body portion of each channel 11, as shown to advantage inFigure 8. A locking bar 23 is mounted on each bolt 21, each locking bar23 being formed with an opening midway its length which provides for asliding fit of the locking bar on its bolt 21. WVhen the locking barextends transversely of the channel 11 its ends are engageable with thebent back edges 19 of the packing strips 18 Whereas when the locking bare):- tends or is positioned so as to lie substantially lengthwise of thechannel member 11, it is accommodated in the channel of such member andis not engageable with the edges 19. A hand operated cam 24 is pivotallyconnected to the outer end of each bolt 21 and coacts with the lockingbar '23 mounted on the bolt to force the locking bar into engagementwith the edges 19 of the packing strips 18 to compress the packing andhold the sections 17 in assembly. These cam members 24 may also bereadily swun to released position illustrated in dotted Packing 20 isinserted be-:

drawing; the endplates 26 and 27 are of an-.

nular form so that the drum has its ends open and since the body portionof the drum is madeup of the spaced channel bars 30 the periphery of thedrum is also formed with openings extending from end to end thereof. Theupper end plate 26 of the drumis formed with a neck 31surroundingLit-sopening and this neck 31 is journaled in a, bearing 32provided therefor in the top-14. of the housing 10. The. lower end plate27 of the drum. is connected to-a sleeve shaft 33 by a spider designatedgenerally at 34 and having a hub 35 fixed to the sleeve shaft 33 andhaving arms or blades 36 integraltherewith or otherwise secured there toand serving to'connect the hub 35 with theend plate 27 of; the drum.Thus the spider 34: serves to support the drum as well as to transmitmotion thereto. The arms of the spider are flat and elongated and aretwisted or curved so as to serve as blades of a fan for forcing air inthrough the adjacent end of the drum 25. The portion of the sleeve shaft33 adjacent the spider 34: is mounted in a combined radial and thrustbearing'38 mounted by arms 39 on the channel bars 11. The lower end ofthe sleeve shaft, 33 hasa pulley 40 fixed thereto, shown in Figure 2 andthispulley is rotatably mounted, in a step bearing e1 designed to takeradial and thrust loads. The pulley 40 is driven from a belt 42 from anysuitable or convenient source of power.

The channel bars 30 of the drum open outwardly and to these channels anovel brushassembly designated generally at L5 and constituting animportant feature of the present invention is applied. Each brushassembly includes a carrier 46 preferably in the form of an elongatedstrip, rectangular in cross section and designed to snugly fit in. anyof the channels of the channel bars 30. To each carrier 46 a cushionedleather brush 4:7, such as is widely employed in the art, is attached,as at 48. Releasable fastening devices are provided for securing eachcarrier 46 to the channel bar 30 with which it is associated, andpreferably these fastening dcvicescomprise bolts 4C9 mounted on thecarrier 46 and adapted to be accommodated in bolt holes 50 providedtherefor in the channel bars 30. Nuts 51 are threaded on the bolts 49and coact with the channel bars 30 to hold the carrier in the channelsof the bars 30. These nuts 51 may be readily removed to permit theentire brush assembly to be taken from the drum in the event; the brushassembly becomes worn or in the event it is desirable to replace thebrush assembly with another of different dimensions to enable variationin the polishing action to be had.

A foraminous casing designated genen ally at 55 is arranged within thehousing 10 and encircles the polishing drum in spaced relation tiieretoto define the polishing space. This casing 55 includes a sectionalskeleton frame and wire mesh 57 applied to the inner sides of thesections of the skeleton frame 56. The sections of the skeleton frameare (is-- tachably connected to permit of easy as sembly and disassemblyto enable access to he had to the polishing drum. The upper end of theskeleton frame 56 is secured by releasable fastening devices to adepending annular flange 58 provided on the top plate 14 and the lowerend of the skeleton frame rests on the bottom plate 15 of the housing10. V

The rice to be polished is fed in through the top plate 14% by thehopper or chute 60 and passes down between the foraminous casing :35 andthe rotating drum 25 wherein the ire is polished in the usual manner bythe action of the brushes 4'5 and the foraminous casing 55. After havingbeen polished the rice falls into a collector designated generally at 61and comprising a cylindrical outer shell 62, a conical inner shell 63and V-shaped deflectors 64 arranged between the shells and insuring thedelivery of the grain to the otftalre conduits 65. 4

Due to the polishing action it has been found that the rice is heated upto some extent and as a consequence checks or cracks whereby its valueis very materially reduced. In order to maintain the entire mass of therice being polished at a constant. uniform and proper temperature it isproposed to cause air currents to traverse and pass through every unitof area of the mass of rice being polished in Sll'l'll a novel and effeetive manner that the desired cooling action is has without in any wayinterfering with the polishing operation. To this end a fan shaft isprovided and is extended axially through the polishing drum. as shownin. Figure 52. The upper portion of the shaft 70 is journaled in abearing bracket 71 and the lower portion of this shaft extends throughthe sleeve shaft 33 and is so fitted in the sleeve shaft as to be freelyrotatable with respect thereto. At its upper end the shaft 70 has fixedthereto a pulley 73 driven by a belt 75 from any suitable source ofpower. The fan shaft 7 O is to be driven in a direction opposite to thatin which the drum 2-5 is driven. Within the drum and adjacent the endsthereof spiders 76 are fixed to the fan shaft 70. The spiders 76 haveradially extending arms 77. and to these arms 77 fan blades 78 aresecured. These blades 78 are flat and elongated and extend forsubstantially the full length of the drum. lVith this arrangement a fanis provided within the drum and is effective to force air out throughthe drum at points around and along the same.

When the fan shaft 70 is rotated, the fan blades 78 act as a centrifugalfan and cause the air to be forced outwardly between the channel barsalong the entire length of the drum. Thus the air from the fan flowsbetween the brushes l5 and through every unit of area of the mass ofgrain being polished so that all of the grain is uniformly cooled andmaintained at a constant and proper temperature to prevent checking orcracking of the same. The currents of air thus se up pass through theforaminous casing and into the space between this casing and the housing10. During its travel through the grain the air entrains the polish.dust and the like, and this is also carried into the space between theforamt nous casing and the housing. In order to prevent excessivepressures from building up in the housing and to control the escape ofthe polish. dust or the like the housing is formed with a plurality ofair exits which preferably are of rectangular form and entend verticallyof the housing for the greater portion of its length. By providing airexits which extend for substantially the full length of the housing, theproper distribution of the air currents through the mass of grain beingpolished isinsured. The air exits are designated at 80. and in each airexit a framing 81 may be inserted and suitably secured. The framing 81carries a panel 82 of cloth or suitable foraminous material having atexture permitting the passage of air therethrough while resisting thepassage of dust,polish or other fine particles contained in the air. Infact it has been found that when the fan is turned at a relatively slowspeed so as to set up relatively slow moving air currents, the panel ofcloth is sufficient to precipitate the polish. dust or the like.However. it may be desirable at all times and it is especially desirableat high fan speeds to provide a hood 83 for each air exit. The hoods 83have openings encompassing the air exits and these hoods have aperturedears 84 whereby they may be readily fastened by screws. bolts or thelike to the exterior of the housing. Pipes 85 lead from the lowerportions of the hoods to the point where the polish is to be discharged.

At slow fan speeds practically all of the polish is precipitated in thespace between the foraminous casing 55 andthe housing 10, and even athigh fan speeds. the whirl ing currents of air striking the innersurface of the housing and eddying therefrom Lilla. into the air exitsprovide for a substantial precipitation of the polish. The polish thusprecipitated is gathered in a polish collector 9G and is carried bypipes 91 to the bins sacking machines. The polish collector 9G is shownto advantage in Figure 6 and includes an outer. shell 92. an inner andi-shaped guides 9st disposed he shells 92 and 93 and insuring of thepolish to the pipes between deliver 91.

In order to insure escape of the air from the housing 10 at high fanspeeds auxiliary air collectors designated generally at may be employed.lVhen assembled with the inner side of the housing, as shown in Figure 3these auxiliary air collectors provide substantially tubular casings 101of curved form and each having one end offset. as at 3.02 andcommunicating with the adjacent air exit, the opposite end of eachcasing being open, as indicated at 103. The inner wall each casing 101has lips r03 struck outwardly therefrom so that air enters the'end ofthe casing and also through the vents or ports adjacent each lip 103.These air collectors 100 maybe provided at the top of the housing 10, asillustrated in the drawing and may also be provided adjacent the bottomas well as intermediate the top and bottom if found desirable.

In operation the rice is fed in through the hopper 0 and is distributedby the rotating upper end plate of the polishing drum shell 93 and bythe upper portions of the brnshes -15 s so that'the entire polishingspace which is defined by the polishing druin and the foraminous casing55 contains the mass of rice being polished. The character of thebrushing action may be readily varied as. found desirable. For instancelight brushing may be effected by a large feed and by employing brushassemblies having narrow strips of wool and leather or by slowing up therotary movement of the polishing drum. Hard or heavy brushing can bedone bya small feed in conjunction with. a speeding up of the drum andthe employment of brush assemblies having wide leather. A variety offinishes however can be made by changing the feed only from small tolarge but the harder the machine brushes the more heat is generated andthe more necessary it is to provide for a proper cooling action toprevent changes in temperature and conse quent checking of the grains ofrice. Under all conditions the present invention provides for thecirculation through the entire mass of grain being polished of coolingcurrents of air. In this connection the location of the fan within thedrum is believed to be an important feature for with such an arrangementthe air is positively forced outwardly through the entire mass of grainbeing polished and cannot lion around the grain as it would if it werepermitted to follow the path of least resistance. Moreover the fanblades extend the entire length of the drum and cause current of air toflow through every unit of area of the mass of grain being polished. Thefan blades 78 act as the blades of a centrifugal fan and their action inforcing the air outwardly through the drum and across the mass of rainis supplemented by the action of elongated air deflectors 110 having anextent approximately equal to the extent of the channel bars 30 makingup the periphery of the drum and bolted tothe inner surf" of thesechannel bars. The aiindefiectors 110 have pointed wings 111 which estendangularly from the angle bars in the direction of rotation of the drumso that they positively force or deflect the air currents set up by theblades of the fan 78 thrmigh the spaces between the channel bars 30 andoutwardly through the brushes 45. The whirling currents of air thusgenerated by the blades of the fan and thus evenly distributed aroundand along the polishing drum traverses the entire mass of grain beingpolished, and this uniform and wide distribution of the air currents isenhanced by the fact that the air exits extend the full length of thehousing 10 and are provided at a number of points around the housing.

The sections of the housing may be readily removed and the foraminouscasing may be readily taken apart to provide for access to the polishingdrum. The brush assemblies on the polishing drum may be taken therefromand replaced by new brushes or by brushes of different dimensions withthe expenditure of minimum time and labor. This is an important featuresince it avoids shutting down the brush for considerable length of timewhen it is necessary to replace the brushes of the polishing drum. Boththe rice and the polish are carried away as fast as the polishing actionproceeds by virtue of the provision of the collectors 61 and 90,respectively.

It is to be understood that the speed of the fan may be varied asdesired although under ordinary conditions the speed of the fan rangesfrom 800 to 1200 R. P. M. At slow fan speeds the hoods 83 need not beused since the screens or cloths 89. confine the polish while permittingthe escape of air.

It is to be understood that although the fan shaft may be rotated in adirection opposite to that in which the drum rotates, the fan shaft mayalso be rotated in the same direction as the drum, the air deflectorsbeing modified or omitted if found desirable.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a hollow rotary polishingdrum of ope-n formation, a fan operating will" drnni for forcing airoutwardly 1 through, and means independent of the tan for forcing airinto one end of said drum.

2. In auapparatns of the character described, a hollow rotary polishingdrum of open formation, a foraniinous casing encircling the drum todefine a polishing space, polishing pads carried by the drum andcooperable with the foraminous casing. an operating withinthe drum forforcing air across the polishing space, d air deflectors carried bythe'druni and pro ing inwardly thereinto for directing the currents ofair generated by the fan outwardly through the openings of the'druin.

3. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, a hollow rotarypolishing drum having openings in its periphery and in its ends, arotary cylinder sh a ft, spider arms connecting theshaft and one end ofsaid drum, said armsbeing twisted so as to force air into the interiorof said drum and a fan oper ting within said drum for forcing airoutwardly through the peripheral openings of the drum.

i. In an apparatus of the character describeda hollow rotary polishingdrum having openings in its periphery and. at its ends, a forarninouscasing encircling the.

drum in spaced relation to define a polishing space, a fanarrangedwithin the drum for drawing air in throughthe' ends of the drumand forcing the air through the peripheral openings of the drum andacross the polishing space throughout its extent, and a housing for thedrum and casing, said housing having air exits extending lengthwisethere of, andmeans associated with the air-exits for controlling theescape of dust, polish or the-like.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a polishing drum havinglongitudinal channels, and brushes including carrier strips designedtobe received insaid Chill l nels, readily releasable fastening devicesfor securing thecarrier strips to said channels, and cushioned leathersattached to said carrier strips.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a polishing drum, brushesincluding carriers, readily releasable fastening devices securing thecarriers to the drum, and cushioned leathers attached to said cariers.

7 In anappa-ratus of the character described, a polishing drum, brushesincluding carriers releasably secured to the drum. cushioned leathersattached to said carriers, a foraminous casing for said drum made up ofdetachably' connected sections and a housing for the casing and drum,said housing including vertical channels, removable sections extendingbetween the channels, packing strips secured to the sections and havingbent back edges extending around the Cil flanges of the channels.packing between the bent back edges and the flanges of the channel, andreadily releasable means cooperable with the channels and with the bentback edges of the packing strips for compressing; the packing andholding the removable sections in position.

8. In an apparatus of the character scribed, a polishing drum, brushesincluding carriers releasably secured to the drum, cushioned leathersattached to said carriers, a toraminous casing for said drum made up ofdetachably connected sections and a housing for the casing and drum,said housing including vertical channels, removable sections extendingbetween the channels, packing strips secured to the sections and havingbent back edges extending around the flanges of the channels, pack-- ingbetween the bent back edges and the flanges of the channel, and readilyreleasable means cooperable with the channels and with the'bent backedges of the packing strips for compressing the packing and holding theremovable sections in posi tion, said readily releasable means includingbolts secured to the channels, locking bars slidably mounted on boltsand engageable with the packing strips, and locking cams pi otallyconnected to the bolts and cooperable with the locking bars.

9. In an apparatus ot' the character described, a hollow rotarypolishing drum having openings in its periphery and at its ends, atoraminous casing encircling the drum in spaced relation to define apolishing space. a fan arranged within the drumfor drawing air inthrough the ends of the drum and forcing the air through the peripheralopenings of the drum and across the polishing space throughout itsextent, and a housing for the drum and casing. said housing having airexits extending lengthwise thereo't. and means associated with the airexits for controlling the escape of dust, polish or the like. said meansincluding cloth screens extending across said exits, and hoodssurrounding the outside of the air exits and leading therefrom.

10. In an apparatus of the character de scribed a hollow rotarypolishing drum having openings in its periphery and at its ends. atoraminous casing encircling the mum in spaced relation to define apolishing space. a tan arranged within the drum for drawing air inthrough the ends of the drum and forcing the air through the peripheralopenings of the drum and across the polishing space throughout itsextent, a housing for the drum and casing, said housing having air exitsextending lengthwise thereof, and means associated with the air exitsfor controlling the escape of dust, polish or the like. said meansincluding cloth screens extending; across said. exits;

11. In an apparatus of the character described, a hollow rotarypolishing drum having openings in its periphery and at its ends, aforaminous casing encircling the drum in spaced relation to define apolishing space, a tan arranged within the drum for dra: ing air inthrough the ends of the drum and forcing the air through the peripheralopenings of the drum and across the polishing space throughout itsextent, a housing for the drum and casing, said housing having air exitsextending lengthwise thereof, means associated with the air exits forcontrolling the escape of I dust, polish or the like, said meansincluding hoods surrounding the outside of the air exits and leadingtherefrom.

12. In an apparatus or" the character described, a hollow rotarypolishing drum having openings in its periphery and at its ends, aforami'nous casing encircling the drum in spaced relation to define apolishing space, a fan arranged within the drum' for drawing air inthrough the ends of the drum and forcingtheair through the peripheralopenings of the drum and across the polishing space throughout itsextent, a housing for the drum and easing, said housing having air exitsextending lengthwise thereof, and means associated with the air exitsfor controlling the escape of dust, polish or the like, and auxiliaryair collectors arranged in said housing and leading to said air exits.

13. In an apparatus of the character described, a hollow rotarypolishing drum having openings in its periphery and at its ends, atoraniinous casing encircling the drum in spaced relation to define apolishing space, a tan arranged within the drum for drawing air inthrough the ends of the drum and forcing the air through the peripheralopenings of the drum and across the polishing space throughout itsextent, a housing for the drum and easing, said housing having air exitsextending lengthwise thereof, means associated with the air exits forcontrolling the escape of dust, polish or the like, auxiliary aircollectors arranged in said housing and leading to said air exits, eachauxiliary air collector comprising a curved tubular casing having oneend connected to said air exit and having its other end open, the innerwall. of the casing having deflecting lips struck outwardly therefrom.

14. In an apparatus of the character described, a hollow rotarypolishing drum having openings in its periphery and at its ends, aforarninous casing encircling the drum in spaced relation to define apolishing space, a tan arranged within the drum for drawing air inthrough the ends of the drum and forcing the air through the peripheralopenings of the drum and across the polishing space throughout itsextent, and a housing for the drum and easing, said housing ha? ing anexits ere-tending lengthwise thereof,

means associated with the air exits for controlling the escape of dust,polish or the like, a grain collector below the polishing space, and apolish collectorbelow the space defined 'by the foramino'us casing andthe housing.

15. In an apparatus of the eharaeter de seribed, a hollow rotarypolishing drrnn 00111- ipri-sin g end plates and a plurality oflongitudinal channel bars secured to the end plates andcircuinterentially spaced from each other, a brush "earriec'l by eachchannel bar, a tan shaft extending axially through the rotary dri'nn aplurality of flat elon gated longitudinally extending blades carried bythe fan shaft, and elongated air deflectors carried by the channel barsof the dra n,

1 6. In a rice polishingapparatus, a hollow rotary polishing drum havingopenings in its periphery and at its ends, aiora-minons casingencircling'the drum in spaced relation fl lel'etO to define =a polishingspace, means for ca-using'coolin'g currents of air to travelse thepolishing space including a fan operating within the drum for drawingair in through the ends of the drum and forcing the air through theperipheral openings of the drum and across the polishing spacethroughout its extent, driving meehanism for the drum, and meansindependent of the driving n'iechanism and of the drum for rotating thefan.

17. In an apparatus of the character des rihed, a hollow rotarypolishing drum having openings in its periphery and at its ends. atorainino-ns casing encircling the drum in spaced relation thereto todefine a polishing space means for causing cooling enrrents of air totrarerse the polishing space comprising a fan shaft extending axial];through the drum and beyond the ends thereof, fan blades carried by saidshaft, and means coaoting with said shaft for rotating the same, asleeve shaft loosely mounted on said fan shaft, spider arms connectingthe sleeve shaft and the drum, and means for rotating said sleeve.

HOMER TIPTON MOGILL.

